Rigid handle axle jack



prl 24, 951 J. H. PHI-:NNING RIGID HANDLE AXLE JACK 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 27, 1946 ,wn Wm @if f/Lwf n.. 1MM NNNN Nmdd prl 24:, @95E J. H. PHENNING RIGID HANDLE AXLE JACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1946 Mgg.

, Patented pr. 24, 1951 UNITED 'STATESr PATENT QFFC.

RIGD HANDLE AXLE JACK J ohn H. Phenning, Winona, Minn., assignor t Vulcan Manufacturing Co. Inc., Winona, Minn., a corporationof Minnesota Application February 27, 1946, Serial No. 650,483

12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to axle jacks, and more particularly to the type which can be easily placed in position by means of the jack handle. As is Well known, the ends of an automobile extend well beyond the axles, and in order to place a jack in position under either axle, it is necessary to reach a considerable distance under the automobile. To thus reach that disstance is inconvenient, if not dimcult. Jacks .of existingv types are not susceptible of being easily moved bodily'in all directions by means of the handle alone, for placing them in position.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simple jack with a handle that is inherently rigid and is also rigidly secured to the jack by which the jack can be easily positioned bodily from beyond the end of the automobile. l

Another object is Vthe Aprovision of Va hand grip at the outer end of the handle to facilitate handling of the jack. d Still another. object is the provision of a simple means cooperating with the hand grip for operating the jack.

A further object of the invention is to provide a detachable rigid handle for reduction of space when the jack is not in use and at which time itisdesirable to store it in a tool box or under the seat of an'automobile, simple means for cooperation between the-operating parts on the handle andi in the jackifproper being provided.

A' still further object is the provision of lock means for locking the Yoperating means on the vhandle for convenience when the jack is not in use. i

With

my device whereby the objects contemplated are Vattained, as hereinafter more fully set forth,

pointed out in the claims,V and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view, party in vertical section and partly in elevation, of the jack and handle.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary Vertical View of the jack on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 showing the operating means in position to permit the jack to retract. Y A

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view taken on line Ilof Fig.V 1; and Y Fig. 5 shows a modified form for the operating handle of the jack.

Vthese and other objects in view v'my in- Vention consists in the construction, arrange- .ment and combination of the various parts of Referring rnow in detail to the drawings, a conventional hydraulic jack is indicated at `I2 comprising a lifting plunger Ill operating in an inner sleeve VI5 of the jack. An outersleeve I6 defines a reservoir I1 containingV a supply of fluid for operating the lifting plunger I4. Formed integral with the jack housing at the base thereof is a cylindrical housing I9 extending radially outwardly from the jack, and shown in this instance inclined slightly upwardly. The outer end 20 of the housing I9 is open for the insertion of the jack which will be described in detail later.

Inserted in the housing I9 at the inner end thereof is an insert 2I with an inner reduced threaded end 22 which threads into a cooperating bore in the base of the jack. The insert 2l is provided with packing means 2A at its outer end having its inner end of reduced outer diameter forming a circumferential passage 25 between itself and the interior of the housing, and is provided with a central bore 26 having a restriction 21 therein. A radial port 29 is formed in the wall of the insert 2l communieating between the circumferential passage 25 and bore 26.

The base of the jack is provided with a port 30 leading from the reservoir I1 to the circumferential passage 25 and is also provided with a passage 3| communicating between the inner end of the bore 25 and the interior 32 of the jack formed by the inner sleeve I5. A ball valve 3d seats on and closes the inner end of the port 29 and is normally held in place thereon by a spring 35. A'pin or plunger 36 rests idly in the restriction 21 during the lifting operation of the jack. The pin 36 is of such small diameter that it does not seriously impede the passage of fluid through restriction 21. On the inner side of the restriction 21 is another ball valve 31 which seats against the restriction and is normally held in place thereon by a spring 39. The length of the pin 36 is slightly less than the distance between the ball valves 34 and 31 so that both of the ball valves may be seated against their respective ports simultaneously.

A pump rod 4f) is positioned in the boreMv 26 and is held in place therein by a sleeve 4I threaded into the outer end of the insert 2 I. As the pump rod 40 is reciprocated in the bore 26, the fluid system is actuated to extend the jack. On the back stroke of the pump rod d the iiuid ows from the reservoir I1 through the passage 30, the circumferential passage 25 and the ra- ,dial port 29 into the interior of the bore 26` 'In this operation the ball valve 34 is unseated. On the forward stroke of the pump rod 4d the fluid thus trapped in the bore 25 is forced through the restriction 2'! unseating the ball valve 3l which permits the fluid tc pass through the passage 3i into the interior of the jack, operating the lifting plunger H5.

A port 42 is formed near the upper end of the sleeve I 5 communicating between the interior of ie sleeve i5 and the reservoir il, completing the circulating passage for the fluid system. When the lifting plunger if?, is raised to its uppermost limit the packing 44 thereon rises above the port opening l2 permitting free circulation of the fluid in the jack and relieves the lifting plunger I4- of any further operating action.

To effect lowering of the lifting plunger, the pump rod l is extended farther into the bore 26 then was done in the lifting operation. Reference may be had to Fig. 3. The result of this action is that the inner end of the pump rod 49 forces the ball valve 34 olf of its seat on the radial port 29` and at the same time forces the pin 36 in the same direction which in turn unseats the ball valve 3'! with respect to its port. When the pump rod lill is thus held in this position, the lifting plunger i4 is lowered as the passage of the fluid will be from the interior of the sleeve I5 through the bore of the jack to the reservoir Il", or the reverse of the process as described in connection with the lifting operation.

Referring to Fig. 1, the jack handle proper is indicated generally at 45. The main length of the handle consists of a tubular housing 46 and aslightly enlarged section of tubular housing 47 tted over the inner end of the housing 4t and welded thereto as indicated at 49. The housing section 41 extends into the interior of the housing I9 of the jack and is held in place therein by a quick release spring detent device 5D which can be observed in Fig. 4. A spring clip 5l is secured to the housing I9 by a rivet 5? and carries a pin 54 riveted therein and extending through registered openings formed in the housing i9 and 4l. The extended end 55 of the clip can be manipulated for flexing the clip for quickly attaching and detaching the pump handle.

An actuating rod 55 is slidably positioned in the Vinterior of the housing 45 and is provided with Y collars 51 for aligning it within the housing. A

lug 59 is struck up inwardly from the housing '4G to cooperate with the collar 5l and thereby prevent the actuating rod 56 from sliding out of the lhandle housing. The inner end of the actuating rod engages a collar Bil formed on the outer end of the pump rod 4D. A compression spring S! surrounds pump rod 4G and sleeve 4l and is secured between collar S0 and the packing washer 23, biasing the pump rod 40 outwardly. The spring 6| loses its compression just beyond the point of the outward stroke of the pump rod 40 in the pumping operation, making it unnecessary to have positive engaging means for preventing the pump rod 40 from falling out of place when the handle is detached. The pump rod 4l) has a tight fitting engagement with sleeve 4 I.

Secured to the outer end of the housing 4B forming the main length of the handle is a hand grip 62 comprising a tubular portion S4 fitting over the housing 45 and a generally perpendicularly extending portion B5. The hand grip may be riveted to the housing 46 as shown at 66. The portion 65 of the hand grip is U-shaped in formation with its open end extending forwardly as indicated at 67. A lever 69 is pivotally secured at 'I0 in the side walls forming the hand grip 65 near the upper end or near the main shaft of the handle. The upper shorter end 'il of the lever extends up into the interior of the housing 46 and has a rounded forward edge 12 freely engaging the rear surface of the collar 51 on the outer end of the actuating rod 56. The lower end i4 of the lever 59 extends downwardly and is approximately the same length as the hand grip. The lever 69 may be actuated by gripping both this lever and the hand grip in the hand and compressing the Ylever into engagement with the hand grip. By

this action the actuating rod is forced forward and thereby the pump rod is also forced forward, actuating the fluid system in the jack.

A U-shaped clip 'i5 is pivotally secured at 16 to the lower end of the hand grip. The clip l5 when in the position shown in Fig. 1 limits the compressing movement of the lever 69 at that point in the lifting operation of the jack. To actuate the jack for lowering the lifting plunger, the clip 15 is swung back `from the full line position to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, enabling the lever 69 to be compressed farther into the hand grip 62 where it finally contacts set screw 1'! which is the ultimate limit to which it can be compressed. The set screw 'I1 is mounted in a boss 19 formed in the hand grip and it may be adjusted through an opening formed in the back side of the hand grip. When the lever 69 is compressed until it contacts the set screw Tl, the actuating rod 56 and pump rod 46 are forced forward into the jack sufficiently far to unseat the ball valves 34 and 31 permitting the lifting plunger to lower. The position of the pump rod for this operation is shown in Fig. 3. The extent to which these ball valves are removed from their seats determines the speed at which the lifting plunger lowers, and this may be controlled by adjusting the set screw l1.

The lower end 14 of the lever 69 is provided with a notch into which the clip 79 may be inserted for securing the lever in locked position when the handle is detached from the jack.

Fig. 5 shows a modification of the hand grip for the handle. In this figure Vthe hand grip 8 consists of a portion 8| which is substantially a linear extension of the handle as a whole. The lever 82 is correspondingly shaped to conform to the hand grip, but its mechanical advantage need not'be altered nor will it be less convenient for operation. Y

Although I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, manifestly it is susceptible of modifications and rearrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not, therefore,

Vwish to be understood as limiting this invention to the precise form herein disclosed except as I may be so limited by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a jack of the class described, the combination of a vertical lifting plunger, a fiuid system for raising the lifting plunger, a rigid handle rigidly connected to the jack and extending outwardly therefrom, a hand grasp on the outer end of said rigid handle for positioning the jack as a whole, actuating means in said handle for actuating the fluid system in the jack for raising the lifting plunger, and hand operated means on the outer end ofisaid rigid handle for operating said actuating means, said hand operated means on being moved in one direction 'servingfto raise the lifting plunger and on continued movement inthe same-direction moving to a predetermined position for conditioning said actuating means to permit the lifting plunger to be lowered.

2. In a jack of the class described, the combination of avertical lifting plunger, a fluid system.v for raising the lifting plunger, a rigid handle rigidly connected to the jack and extending outwardly therefrom, a hand grip on the outer end of said rigid handle for positioning the jack as a whole, actuating means in said handle for actuating the nuid system in the jack, hand operated means on the outer end of said rigid handle coacting with said hand grip for operating said actuating means, said hand operated means on being moved in one direction serving to raise thelifting plunger and on continued movement in the same direction moving to a position whereby the lifting plunger lowers, and means on said Vhand grip for limiting the movement of said hand `said handle slidable longitudinally therein and extending into the body of the jack to the iiuid system therein for actuating the fluid system, said rod on inward motion thereof serving to raise the lifting plunger, spring means in said handle biasing said rod outwardly, and a lever mounted on said` hand grip, one end of said lever loosely engaging the outer end of said rod, the other end of said lever coacting with said hand grip and f on being moved toward the same serving to force said rod inwardly.

4. In a jack, the combination of a lifting plunger, a fluid system for operating the lifting plunger, a tubular housing rigidly connected to the jack and extending outwardly therefrom, a pump rod slidable longitudinally in said tubular housing and extending into the fluid system for actuating the same, spring means in said tubular housing biasing said pump rod outwardly short of displacing said pump rod from said housing, a

handle insertable around said spring means in said tubular housing and forming a rigid coaxial extension thereof, means for detachably securing said handle in said tubularhousing, an actuating rod in saidv handle loosely engageable with the outer end of said pump rod and forming a coaxial extension thereof, a hand grip on the outer end of said handle for positioning the jack as a whole, and means coacting with said hand grip for operating said actuating rod and thereby said pump rod.

5. In a hydraulic jack, the combination of a lifting plunger, a uid system for operating the lifting plunger, a tubular housing rigidly connected to the jack and extending outwardly therefrom, a pump rod slidable longitudinally in said tubular housing and extending into the iiuid system for actuating the same, said pump rod operating to extend the lifting plunger on being forced inwardly in said tubular housing, spring means biasing said pump rod outwardly, a handle insertable in saidtubular housing and forming a rigid coaxial extension thereof, VVquick-release spring means for detachably receiving said handle in said tubular housing, a hand grip on the outer end of said handle for positioning the jack as a whole, an actuating rod in said handle loosely engaging the outer end of said pump rod, and a lever mounted on said hand grip loosely engaging the outer end of said actuating rod, said lever, acting through said actuating rod, forcing said pump rod inwardly on being operated against said hand grip. f Y

6'. In a hydraulic jack, the combination of a lifting plunger, a iiuid system for operating the lifting plunger, an open-ended housing rigidly connected to the jack and extending outwardly therefrom, pump means in said housing for actuating the fluid system spring means in said housing biasing said pump means outwardly short of displacing said pump means from said housing, a handle insertable around said spring means in the open end of said housing and forming a rigid coaxial etxension thereof, means for detachably securing said handle in said housing, an actuating rod slidable in said handle Vand loosely engaging said pump means, means on said actuating rod foi centering the same within said handle, means limiting the forward movement of said actuating rod and for retaining the actuating rod in said handle, `a hand grip-on the outer end of said handle for positioning the jack as a whole, and a lever mounted on said hand grip and loosely engaging the outer end of Said actuating rod, said lever on being operated against said hand grip acting through said actuating rod to operate said pump means.

'7. In a jack of the class described, the combination of a lifting plunger, a fluid system for operating the lifting plunger, an open-ended housing rigidly connected to the jack and extending outwardly therefrom, pump means in said housing for actuating the fluid system, a handle insertable in the open end of said housing forming a rigid coaxial extension thereof, means for detachably securing said handle in said housing, an actuating rod in ,Said handle engageable with said pump means, said actuating rod on being forced inwardly operating said pump means to extend the lifting plunger and on continued movement in the same direction moving said pump means to a position whereby the lifting plunger retracts, a hand grip on the outer end of said handle, a lever mounted on said hand grip and engageable with the outer end of said actuating rod, said lever on being compressed against said hand grip forcing said actuating rod forward, and a swingable clip on said hand grip limiting the compressing movement of said lever.

8. In a jack of the class described, the combination of a lifting plunger, a fluid system for operating the lifting plunger, an open-ended housing rigidly connected to the jack and extending outwardly therefrom, pump means in said housing for actuating the fluid system, a handle insertable in the open end of said housing forming `a rigid coaxial extension thereof, means for detachably securing said handle in said housing, an actuating rod in said handle engageable with said pump means, said actuating rod on being forced inwardly operating said pump Vmeans to extend the lifting plunger and on continued movement in the same direction moving said pump means to a position whereby the lifting plunger retracts, a hand grip on the outer end of said actuating rod, said lever on being compressed against said hand grip forcing said actuating rod forward, a swingable clip on said hand grip limiting the compression movement of said lever, and stop means limiting the nal compression movement of said lever beyond the point of said swingable clip.

9. In a hydraulic jack, the combination of a 7 IiItingpIunger, a fluid system for operating the lifting plunger, an open-ended housing rigidly connected to the jack and extending outwardly therefrom, pump means in said housing for actuating the uid system, a handle insertable in the open end of said housing forming a rigid coaxial -extension thereof, means for detachably securing said handle in said housing, an actuating rod in said handle engageable With said pump means, said actuating rod on being forced inwardly operating said pump means to extend the. lifting plunger and on continued movement in the same direction moving said pump means t a position whereby the lifting plunger retracts, a hand grip on lthe outer end of said 1nandle, a lever mounted on said hand grip and engagcable with the outer end of said actuating rod, said lever on being compressed against said hand grip forcing said actuating rod forward, a swingabie clip on said hand grip limiting the compression movement of said lever, stop means limiting the nal compression movement of said lever beyond the point of said swingable clip, and means on said lever coacting with said swingable clip for restricting the movement of said lever in either direction.

10. In a jack structure, the combination of a jack element and a handle element therefor, said jack element including mechanism operative to extend the jack element for lifting purposes, said handle element being inherently rigid, and means for detachably connecting said handle element to said jack element, said handle element including on its outer end operating mechanism for said jack element extending mechanism andan operative connection between said operating mechanisrn and said extending mechanism, said operative connection extending through said rigid handle and being adaptable for movement to one position for eiecting lowering of the jack element extending mechanism, and blocking means to prevent movement of said operating mechanism to said one position during raising movements of the jack.

11. In a jack structure, the combination of a jack element and a handle element therefor, said jack elementr including mechanism operative to extend the jack element for lifting purposes, said handle element being inherently rigid, and means for detachably connecting said handle element to said jack element, said handle element including on its outer end operating mechanism for said jack element extending mechanism and an operative connection between said operating mechanism and said extending mechanismsaid opera*- tive connection extending through said rigid handle and being adaptable for movement to one position for eiecting lowering of the jack element extending mechanism, and blocking means lto prevent movement of said operating mechanism to said one position during raising movements of the jack, said blocking mechanism constituting a latch for said operating mechanism when the jack is not in use.

12. In a handle for a jack of the class described, the combination of a main body, an actuating rod slidable in said body, a hand grip on one end of said handle, said hand grip being U-shaped in cross section with its open edge away from the hand when being used, a lever mounted on said hand grip having one end extending into the interior of said main body and loosely engageable with said actuating rod, and the other end operable to compressed position in said hand grip and to extended position, swingable clip means on the outer end of said hand grip for limiting the compression movement of said lever, adjustable stop means within said hand grip for defining the limit of compression movement of said lever, and detent means on the outer end of said lever engageable with said swingable clip for restricting the movement of said lever in either direction.

JOHN H. PHENNING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the nle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,633,178 Hammond e June 21, 1927 1,880,732 Bolens 1. 1 Octi 4, 1932 2,336,682 Gross 1 Dec. 14, 1943 

